WEBVTT SOLEDAD: THIS PAST WCONGRESSIONAL LEADERS MET WITOP WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS ABTA DEAL TO AVOID A GOVERNMENTSHUTDOWN THAT COULD INCLUDE ACOMPROMISE ON DACA, THE DEFERRACTION FOR CHILDHOOD ARRIVALSPROGRAM.THE PROGRAM PROTECTS HUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDS OF UNDOCUMENTEDIMMIGRANTS, WHO CAME TO THE S.AS CHILDREN, FROM BEINGDEPORTED. THEY ARE COMMONLY REFERRED T"DREAMERS."CESAR VARGAS IS NEW YORK'TOPENLY UNDOCUMENTED LAWYER.HIS FAMILY CROSSED FROM MEXIINTO THE U.S. WHEN HE WAS FIYEARS OLIT IS NICE TO HAVE YOU WITH .CESAR VARGAS: THANK YOU SO MHFOR HAVING ME.SOLEDAD: WYOUR FAMILY STORY IN JUST AMOMENT.BUT FIRST, LET'S TALK ABOSTIMELINE. THAT SIX MONTHS HAS COME DOWA MARCH DEADLINE, WHICH MEANSTHE WORK HAS TO BE DONE NO.CESAR VARGAS: ABSOLUTELYITTHE PRESIDENT TO GIVE UNTILMARCH 5, WHEN IN FACT, WE AREALREADY SEEING DREAMERS LOSINTHEIR DEPORTATION PROTECTIONNOW.THE URGENCY IS NOW. WE NEED A DEAL NOWAND FOR MYSELF, WE WANT TO MAKESUREONBEING SUBJECTED TO DEPORTATIONADMINISTRATION WYMUCH TARGETED ANYONE WHO ISUNDOCUMENTED OR ANYONE WHO MBE AN IMMIGRANT WHETHERUNDOCUMENTED OR LEGAL.SOPROPOSALS ON THE TABLE, SOMESUGGESTING SWAPSPARENTS WOULD GO BACK, BKIDS, PEOPLE WHO CAME ASCHILDREN, COULD STAYOR YOU COULD SWAP BORDERSECURITY OR INCREASED WALLPRESENCE FOR DACA.WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF ANY OF TSWAPS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSECESAR VARGAS: WE UNDERSTAND THERE IS GOING TO BE A DEAL. AT THE SAME TIME, AS MUCH AS WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE ISPROTECTIONS FOR MYSELF, FOR MYETO JUST HELP ONE GROUP OFIMMIGRANTS IN EXCHANGE FORPERSECUTING ANOTHER GROUP OFIMMIGRANTS.SOLEDAD: YOU OFTEN HEAR NASTYRHETORIC, FRANKLY, FROM THEREPUBLICANS, BUT THE DEMOCRAHAVE DROPPED THE BALL MANY TON IMMIGRATIONCESAR VARGAS: DEMOCRATS HADCONTROL OF CONGRESS AND THEPRESIDENCY, AND THEY DIDN'ANYTHING. IN 2010, FIVE DEMOCRATS VOTAGAINST THE DREAM ACT THAT WHAVE PROVIDED PATHS TOCITIZENSHIP FOR UNDOCUMENTEDYOUNG PEOPLE. THEY FAILED TO DO THAT. RIGHT NOW, DEMOCRATS ARE GOITO BE ON THE LOSING END IF THADMINISTRATION DOES COME UP,WHICH IN MY OPINION WILL COMEUP, WITH A SOLUTION.SOLEDAD: HOW WOULD YOU INCREEBORDER SECURITY IF THAT IS OYOUR PROPOSALS?CESAR VARGAS: NO ONE WANTS TOCOME HERE UNDOCUMENTED ORILLEGALLY CROSSING THE BORDENO ONE WANTS TO RISK DYING INTHE BORDER. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A PATCITIZENSHIP BUT ALSO A BORDERTHAT IS SECURE, BUT ALSO NOTMILITARIZED BORDER THAT IS GTO EXPEND TAXPAYER MONEY FOROREASON LIKE A WALL.SOLEDAD: PEOPLE OFTEN DON'TUNDERSTAND MIXED STATUTHAT YOU CAN BE DACA, YOU CANHAVE A SIBLING WHO IS NOT, YOUMOM COULD BE UNDOCUMENTED, HERHUSBAND COULD BE DOCUMENTED.YOU KNOW, THERE'S THESESIZED FAMILY, THAT MIXED STASMEANS YOU COULD BE TEARING AA FAMILY THROUGH LEGISLATION.CESAR VARGAS: ABSOLUTELYFOR EXAMPLE, NOT ONLY IS MYFAMILY MIXED STATUS, WHERE SEOF MY SIBLINGS ARE U.S. CIOR LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS,BUT WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUTMILITARY FAMILIES. I REPRESENT CLIENTS NOW, WHOMOTHER IS UNDOCUMENTED AND TCHILDREN -- ONE IS IN THE ARAND THE OTHER IS A U.S. MARITHEY TELL ME I WANT TO MAKTHAT MY MOM CAN BE PROTECTEDI CAN DO MY JOB DEFENDING MYTHEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT I AM AFRAID OF MY OWN GOVERNMENRIPPING APART MY FAMILY THANENEMY ABROADTHIS IS WHAT WE ARE TALKINGCESAR VARGAS: UH -- I AM. I AM.SOLEDAD: THAT WAS A BIG PAUSEBEFORE YOU SAID "I AM." 2019CESAR VARGAS: THERE ARE PLENTYOF REASONS TO TURN YOUR BACK ASAY FORGET THIS.SOLEDAD: SO IF THERE ARE ALLNOT OPTIMISTIC, WHY WOULD YOU OPTIMISTIC? CESAR VARGAS: BECAUSE IF THEIS ANYTHING MY MOM HAS TAUGHTME, IT IS TO KEEP FIGHTING FTHE AMERICAN DREAM. WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES, ANOTHERDOOR OPENS.AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAARE PUSHING FOR THAT, DESPITEWHAT IS HAPPENING, BECAUSEAMERICAN DREAM IS AT STAKE A

Over 700,000 young immigrants are looking to Congress for answers as the March 5 deadline for the end of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) looms. Although multiple bills have been introduced and both parties have expressed interest in finding a solution for Dreamers – undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children – no clear action has materialized. Cesar Vargas, the first openly undocumented attorney in New York, says if an answer is not found, both parties will face political consequences. He sits down with Soledad O’Brien to discuss opportunities he sees for a bipartisan solution, and what he says would be viable compromises on border security.